Hey all - I've searched even in all vehicle categories and couldnt find any logical answers.

Stupid shop ordered SPC adjustable camber kits.. didnt even get the "EXTEREME" one or whatever. I just wanted OEM, $60, my camber was like -2.7 in that corner because of a bad balljoint so they convinced me it needed to be done.

Instead of getting me an oem I have an SPC, and like the other 3 corners , the camber is ~1.4*

The front right (SPC corner) knocks like crazy and it really scares the **** out of me to drive. Has anyone dealt with this? Know what to do? I'm afraid that even going back to stock height will still make it do this bullcrap. What can I cut? I cant justify paying these stupid shop people to do it all over again.

Anyone know? And is -1.4* unloaded too much to leave untreated? God i cant imagine SPC kits all around lol.

Thanks

 

my camber kit knocked sometimes. the nut on the top in the engine bay was loose and came off. that is what made the noise. it was put on with an impact driver too. scary as hell. luckily a hardware store was near buy and i had my tools. check that **** to make sure its tight, then paint a stripe down the nut and on the car so you can see if its moved.

 

I have SPC adjustable upper ball joints on all 4 corners. I have no problems out of the backs, but i get knocking from the fronts. The problem is that the SPC balljoints do not press in like the OEM... instead they have a nut on top of the A-arm which is what allows the adjustability. This nut hits the inner fender up top because it effectively shortens the available suspension travel by about 3/4" (the thickness of the nut).

I know of no possible fix other than to raise the car to allow a little more suspension travel. Ideally i'd like to replace the entire upper A-arm with an adjustable one like they offer for civics, etc (Skunk2 style). Unfortunately nobody makes an adjustable A-arm like that for preludes, only the adjustable ball joint. There's a guy on PO.com that is custom making some adjustable A-arms right now.

Hope that helps.

 

exactomundo --- the bolt is too long and even with modest drops the bolt will tend to hit the upper fender well and when this happens it sucks cause it feels like you car is gonna break. I used an impact hammer and beat the crap outta of the fender well and quess what no more knock but it looks ghetto and you can tell it has been beat out I have also see some dudes cuto them out and I do not think that is a good idea though...

 

Yeah, i forgot to mention that some people beat the fender well or cut out a section to accomodate it. I haven't done either as of yet, but i may at some point. I'd like to fabricate some new a-arms, but lack the funds.

 

that's why us prelude guys are screwed when it comes to camber kits.

don't regret it too much, SPC is the best we can get without spending $$$$ on custom UCA's.

-1.4 degrees of camber is nothing. if it's -1.4 degrees all around don't worry about it. it's only a problem if one corner is drastically different (and only then because the car will handle funny during cornering). so, in the end your shop was right.

 

Thanks guys. I'm still going nuts with the banging lol.. but i guess i might try pounding in the upper fender.. i really dont want to do that though Will this hurt anything? break the nut? dent my wheels, etc? I might just go back to stock springs if i can eliminate this that way. Cept they're 5th gen accord springs, i wonder how skyjacked i'll be lol

Thanks again for comments.

 

ingalls makes an adjustable anchor bolt that can adjust up to 3 degrees as well. This should allow you to get the needed camber adjustment without the nut on top of the UCA.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by munscher &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ingalls makes an adjustable anchor bolt that can adjust up to 3 degrees as well. This should allow you to get the needed camber adjustment without the nut on top of the UCA.
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the problem with that is that there isn't alot of clearance between the end of the control arm and start of the fenderwell recession so if you have to correct too much it'll knock too, in a much worse way.

 

I had the knocking with my old Northstar MFG. balljoints. Another popular company uses them too but I forget which. When I intalled them I made sure they had grease in them and everything. One year later, they were all bad. I opened them up and they were completly rusted, no grease, pitted, the works. I looked like something you'd pull off of a 50yr old car. Kinda scary. I've gone with the spc's this time around but I'm afraid it'll happen again. If I were you, I'd make sure theres no play between the uca and knuckle when you move it up and down.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bad-monkey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

the problem with that is that there isn't alot of clearance between the end of the control arm and start of the fenderwell recession so if you have to correct too much it'll knock too, in a much worse way.

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Both the ingalls anchor bolts and the SPC adjustable balljoints effectively extend the overall length of the UCA. So both can and will cause problems between the end of UCA and fenderwell recession if you go out far enough. The fender can be hammered out or notched to accommodate.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by specialedition &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I used an impact hammer and beat the crap outta of the fender well and quess what no more knock but it looks ghetto and you can tell it has been beat out I have also see some dudes cuto them out and I do not think that is a good idea though... </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by munscher &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, i forgot to mention that some people beat the fender well or cut out a section to accomodate it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Which part of the fender well do you pound in? Is it above the wheel, or more where the spring/strut area is? And is it pounding the area where the top of the shock bolts mounts to the engine bay? I got myself a 'Teg btw, but same problem. When I take a hard right, its like metal scraping.

 

man mine happens over a half inch change in pavement height.. its constant.

i guess ill try marking the bolt and letting it hit then banging in where it marks?

 

This answer is for 5th gen BASE owners only.

The SPC 67135 series of parts have been reengineered so that they will not cluck as badly with drops of ~1.7" on the front end. This assumes that you have Koni "yellow" shocks and Neuspeed Sport springs. Higher spring rates at this drop and up to 2" should also see less clunking. The rear is a completely different matter since the clearances are much greater. We used Ingalls 3571 and 3573 slider kits instead of the replacement adjustable balljoints.
Now for the rule for alignment: For each 1" of drop the Camber will go negative by 0.84 degrees. Do the math as it relates to the Honda spec. The spec is 0 degrees +/-1 degree front and rear (for practical purposes. Our car was set up with -0.6 degrees all around and was just fine. If you run at -1.0 that is also OK, but be warned that tire wear will be slightly greater. This also assumes stock wheels and tires.
Everyone should have their TOE adjusted at least once a year-to reduce tire wear and help with gas mileage. This is the only adjustment that is readily available if the the car is bone stone. BTW-the SPC 67135 kit will allow you to adjust Caster somewhat-get both sides as close to the same value as possible-it does help with handling.
Got Q's-drop me an e-mail.

 

lol! I'm back over a year and a half later with the same issue.

I went stock (friends 95 SE lude stock susp) and that was fine and dandy.. but i got a free pair of 200 mile koni yellows.. HAD to use them.

I'm tucking tires all the way around, could adjust the perch, but honestly my only complaint is that damn knocking agian, everything else is peachy.

The nuts almost come thru the engine bay, theres an obvious dent thats actually opening up.. sheesh!

Anyone successfully cut the fender? What'd you use, and how big of a hole did you cut? The last thing i wanna do is cut it too small and have it not yield any results.

Also, since ive been doing a lot of reading, i've heard that having your toe set as close to zero as possible is what really saves tires - but whats the most negative camber you could roll on before your tires truly are toast? I have no idea how to approximate my current amount but will get an alignment soon after i let the suspension ride another 100 miles.. want to know whether to shrug off whatever reading they give me.

Thanks guys.

Thx

 

^

 

input?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by psilo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">lol! I'm back over a year and a half later with the same issue.

I went stock (friends 95 SE lude stock susp) and that was fine and dandy.. but i got a free pair of 200 mile koni yellows.. HAD to use them.

I'm tucking tires all the way around, could adjust the perch, but honestly my only complaint is that damn knocking agian, everything else is peachy.

The nuts almost come thru the engine bay, theres an obvious dent thats actually opening up.. sheesh!

Anyone successfully cut the fender? What'd you use, and how big of a hole did you cut? The last thing i wanna do is cut it too small and have it not yield any results.

Also, since ive been doing a lot of reading, i've heard that having your toe set as close to zero as possible is what really saves tires - but whats the most negative camber you could roll on before your tires truly are toast? I have no idea how to approximate my current amount but will get an alignment soon after i let the suspension ride another 100 miles.. want to know whether to shrug off whatever reading they give me.

Thanks guys.

Thx</TD></TR></TABLE>

IF i were to cut, i'd cut about a 1.5" hole in the fender, with the indentation as the centerpoint for the hole.

as far as acceptable camber #'s w/ 0 toe, anything under 3 should be fine. even around 3 i don't think it'll be too bad, but that's been my general rule of thumb, even if i've never even gotten close to 3 deg of neg. camber...